Will The Celtics Rebound From Rough 0-3 Start?

Will The Celtics Rebound From Rough 0-3 Start?

All right, channel your inner Rick Patino. This tweet from a whole lot of Celtics says Jason Tatum ain’t walking through that door. Drew Holiday ain’t walking through that door. Chris Morzingis ain’t walking through that door. Figure it out. We’re going to try to figure it out with my main man Justin Turpin here. Alphin’s not walking through that door. Give me a little Luke Cornet’s not walking through that door. Negativity in this town sucks. Fellowship of the miserable. Justin, welcome, man. So good to have you, man. Thank you for having me on. It’s good to have you. What’s going on with this team? O, I mean, Oper, are they going to beat Skinny Zion tonight? Like, what the hell’s going on with the Celtics? They better hope they can. I mean, we knew this team was going to have its issues, right? The reality is they lost a lot of talent this off season, but the rebounding has been a serious problem, and it’s been a bigger problem than anyone could have imagined. I mean, through three games, they’ve grabbed just 58.4% 4% of defensive rebounds. It’s dead last in the NBA in their worst three game stretch since 2004. It’s just losing basketball. Yeah. I I I’d love to sit here and say I’m shocked. I mean, this is what we were screaming about throughout the off season. It’s not like Brad Stevens and Mike Xarin or Joe Mazoula. Like, these guys aren’t idiots. They knew what this roster looked like on paper and now it’s bearing itself out obviously in reality. I think the bigger question becomes, okay, this is your personnel. you’re not going to go out anytime soon anyway and acquire an impactful big. So, how do you turn it around? How do you attempt to I don’t know. I mean, improve enough defensively, which used to be their calling card to be able to limit all these offensive chances that their opponents can’t coach size, right? Like I I mean, you rebounding is effort. Yeah, true. I mean, you guys hit on it. I mean, Jason Tatum’s their best rebounder. He’s out indefinitely. Luke Cornett was second in total rebounds. He’s gone. Al Horford was third. He’s gone on a per game basis. Christophs Porzingis was second per game. Like the the personnel is just not there. So how you fix it is through forcing turnovers, which they’ve done. They just haven’t been able to capitalize on those turnovers. They’ve been forcing more turnovers than their opponent, but still have less points off turnovers per game. Like you got to cash in on those opportunities. You got to rebound the basketball offensively. You got to get your second chance points up if you’re going to give up all these second chance points to opponents. So yeah, I mean they have to make mix it up and they have to do it in a way that everyone’s involved cuz there’s no one real answer to this problem. It’s that big of an issue. Well, I know this damn much turp. I’m looking at schedule right now as we talk. You get skinny’s eye on tonight on the road, right? Size. Let’s just say for the sake of the conversation, the Celtics lose this game just for where I’m going here. Okay, arguably now you get Cleveland here, you go to Philly, and then you get our old friend Eay. And that’s back to back. I I mean, bro, like you could be 0 you could be 0 and seven. You could you could literally go into November not winning a game. This is a reality this team’s facing. Do you see that happening? I mean, I could certainly see it happening. Give them a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter in game one against Philly. That was a game that you had to have. That’s and even even this, you know, latest game against Detroit, you were up a sizable amount. That was a a very winnable game as players would like to say. Like we’re none of us are surprised. They go out and they get walloped by the Knicks at MSG. Those are important games to the Knicks. They want to beat the tar out of the Celtics. But then going forward, like you said, tough games coming up. The thing is though, like we can harp all we want about the rebounding. The question really becomes how would this potentially have looked different over the first few games? And I think it’s very easy to lock in on three-point shooting. This team One of the big things I talked about a lot in the offseason was are we going to continue to see Missoula ball and the killer whale offense? Is Missoula going to break from his approach of the emphasis on the three attempt to do anything a little bit different because you don’t have the same personnel that you had before? Again, Tatum is gone. Horford good three-point shooter. Holiday could make threes like Porzingis. Obviously, all these guys are gone. really the the the bigger issue because they’re still jacking them up like you read about. It’s the guys who are taking them and missing them, right? Derek White right now at about I don’t know like 13 attempts per game or some crazy number. He’s he’s hit 29% of his threes. Justin Pton Pritchard who’s supposed to be lights out 18%. Anthony Simons who acquired volume shooting guy, he’s supposed to seamlessly fit into this offense also below 30%. You can’t survive if these three guys in particular aren’t making threes. Not at all. Especially with how small you’re playing. And those three guys that you just named were three of the 20 players to make at least 200 threes last year. All of them shot 36% or better. And you can’t live like that. Like this team is just simply not built to sustain the lack of shooting that they’ve got. And it’s eventually going to turn around, right? We’ve seen what these guys can do. These are established shooters in the league. But it needs to turn around sooner rather than later because you cannot play as small as they’re playing because you want the scoring when you’re doing that, right? If you’re not reaching the offensive rebounds, you know, the rebounds an issue, you have to make your shots. Like it’s that simple. And you know, I hate to oversimplify the game, but it really is that simple. Like get rebounds and make your shots. That’s what’s been plaguing this team. Yeah. I mean, we’ve seen this before. for what we’re talking about now. The Warriors for years were undersized, jacking up threes, but they even even the years they didn’t win the championship because their team they didn’t have the necessary size to do that. The greatest shooter of all time another in the conversation and that’s and that’s where I’m going. That’s where I’m going is that that team’s equipped to do that because of the personnel. Jaylen Brown has never been a great shooter. He has improved, but that’s not his game. He needs to attack the rim. I I just think a lot of this stuff I blame on Joe Missoula. Now, there are certain things you can’t blame on Joe Mazoula. I’m not blaming Can’t blame the roster. That’s right. I’m not blaming the lack Well, specifically the lack of of size on the interior. I’m not blaming Joe Missoula for that. That’s a roster thing. Not blaming him because of that. You don’t get rim protection. I’m not blaming Joe Missoula. But I do have a list of things I would like to blame and just run them by you to see if I’m being fair or not. Blown leads, transition defense, this team still struggles with, by the way, for a team that wanted to play fast. That’s And by the way, everything I’m naming right now, this happened with Tatum, too. This is an ongoing thing. This is a Joe Missoula thing. Blown leads late, transition defense, live and die by the three. Adam just said terrible in lateg game scenarios. I hate this team late in games. I never see Joe Mazula take timeouts and come up with a strategy or a play. What the hell is going on with this guy? And I think he’s being exposed this season. Am I being fair? I think there’s certainly reason for that. I mean, I think it’s too early to say being exposed right now when they’ve only played three games, but this is a year that, you know, he’s going to be heavily under the microscope. Like, he’s had an unbelievably talented team ever since he’s been here. Now, he’s kind of being tested with what he’s got. And I think one of the ones that you missed and something that I don’t really understand so far is not having a set rotation. You know, Josh Minot doesn’t play against the Knicks and last night in Memphis, it’s Xavier or from Memphis in Detroit, it’s Xavier Tilman. Like, I just don’t understand it. like you should have a set rotation. Like they say that depth is a big key to this team and it’s one of the things that they have and yet Xavier Tillman’s been one of your better rebounders for a team that we’ve been talking now for 10 minutes about how bad they are defensively. Wouldn’t you want that guy on the floor? Same with Josh Minot and a spark plug, an energy guy. Why doesn’t he even find 10 minutes to play against the Knicks? Like don’t you think they want a set rotation though? I I think but but I’m that’s where I I’ll I’ll give Joe Missoula a little bit of a break. early in the season. I think he’s trying to figure out what the hell works. Honestly, again, you’re you’re you have been dealt such a blow in terms of your roster off of where you were and what you were last year when you had that set rotation when you knew how you could play and how you could succeed and you had won a championship and you were annually in the contender conversation. Now, this is I know we don’t like to use the term, you know, rebuild because it’s not really that. They’re getting Jason Tatum back at some point, whether it’s later this year or at the start of next season. and they’ll be right back there in the mix to be a contender again. But they have to adjust on the fly a little bit with okay, what are our strengths? How, you know, Ugo Gonzalez, who has been a bright spot so far this team, he just started a game at, you know, at 19 years old or however old he is. Like I don’t think that was necessarily in Missoula’s early plan. He’s not some great shooter either. He doesn’t fit into the defense. you know, he brings a lot of good things and I think that’s why he got the start of rewarding him and Joe sending a message to the rest of the team being like that energy and that defense is exactly what we’re looking for and if you bring that there’s a path to playing all these guys on the roster with the exception of the top guys like Peyton Pritchard, Derek White, Jaylen Brown, even Anthony Simons, those guys are established. The rest of the roster not really. I mean they’re playing for possibly what’s next. You know, if they can’t maximize this opportunity, they might not have a home in the NBA. So, everyone’s trying to carve out their playing time. And I think Joe Missoula by starting Ugo Gonzalez sent the message. It’s bring those intangibles that we always talk about. Bring the intensity, bring the defense, bring the effort, and you’ll play. And I think that’s kind of what that was. All right, Turpp, you’re playing it safe here. I want you to roll these sleeves up. Let’s get dirty. Let’s do it. To tank or not to tank. Let me be clear. This team should tank and they should get a lottery pick and it should be AJ Debontus would be great, but it should be whoever it is. And then you roll them out with Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown and Derek White next year. You want your VJ? Yes, I do. Yes, I do. Tank, tank, tank, and tank to the bottom, baby. Because what is the point of being an eight seed or a playin team? They don’t look like either to me right now. This looks like a team who maybe they won’t say they’re tanking, but they look bad enough to tank. I think this team should stink on purpose and get a great lottery pick. hopefully number one overall. What say you? Are you one of these guys? This team should be a playoff team and then you get Tatum back like someone else at this desk who will remain nameless. But I I like to me what’s the point of bringing Jason Tatum. You can’t control that though. What do you mean? You can’t control what? No, Missoula’s not throwing away a game. Players on the floor who are playing for opportunity aren’t just keep doing what you’re doing. And tanking is a front except when El Carr was here. Tanking is a front office conversation. What do you where do you weigh in on this? I mean, I think the Jason Tatum returning conversation and the tanking conversation are completely separate. Like, I think regardless of how they’re playing, and I I was briefed that you might not be under this impression. I think Jason Tatum, if healthy, should play, then they’re not tanking. I think he should play. Well, he’s not going to come back and be an all NBA player. I think that’s the most important thing. Like, if people are expecting Jason Tatum to come back and be averaging 26 and, you know, flirting with the triple double night to night, it’s just not going to happen. like it’s going to take him time to find his footing, relearn his body, you know, see the court the way he was seeing it. Like this is a gradual kind of progression back to playing. It’s almost like if he does come back this year, it’s almost like an extended rehab assignment. Like this is part of his rehab. So I think there’s no harm in playing him this year. Getting him NBA minutes, letting him relearn his body, get acclimated to the game is huge. And I think that cannot be overstated how important that can be for the Celtics. Can I push back for a second? Go for it. Okay. We want you to get your legs under you, come back for no reason because we’re not going anywhere fast. And then if you reinjure it and it’s more catastrophic now we’re screwed through. What’s the point? No universe he comes back if he’s not medically cleared by a million people. I’m saying if you’re out of contention, what the hell’s the point of bringing him back to get his legs under him? You got a whole offseason to do that. If anything, wouldn’t that be kind of an added bonus? Because there’d be no expectations. Like you don’t have to worry about Jason Tatum coming back and carrying this team to the playoffs if they’re that bad. Like, you know, if you’re having a tanking conversation, you’re coming back and there’s no expectations. There’s no, you know, pressure on you to turn this around and get this team into the playoffs. Just go out, play, get NBA minutes under your belt. All right, let’s table Tatum. Yes. Tank conversation. Talk to me. I think it’s a little early to have that conversation now. Granted, I don’t think this is obviously no one thinks this is a contending team, but I do think the core of this team, the Pton Pritchards, the Derrick Whites, the Jaylen Browns, they’re too prideful. They have too much pride in what they do. And we just mentioned it. These guys are fighting for opportunity. The back half of this roster is fighting for a spot in the NBA. Like, you’re going to go out and tell these guys no, like, let’s throw this game, let’s tank. Like, I just don’t see that happening. Like, there’s just too much at stake for these guys. And I think uh like you know, Adam, you nailed it earlier. This is an organizational thing. Like this is not something that the players are just like, “Okay, we’re gonna do it.” Yeah. Because even those players you mentioned, when it’s an organizational thing, to Adam’s point, it’s, “Hey, you know, Jaylen’s got a tight hamstring.” And hey, Derek White’s dealing with a hangail. He can’t when the Spurs, sorry Celtics fans, got Tim Duncan. Yes. You know, that was that was a tank year. They shut down David Robinson and then tested their lotto luck at that point in time. That’s right. And again, even the lot lottery, like people want to have the rigged conversation and all this stuff, but it even it’s such a like as as fans in Utah or Washington or Sacramento or like how they’re feeling about about the lottery structure. You know, Cooper Flag had a 1.8% chance or whatever it was of winding up in Dallas, right? Okay. So, there’s there’s no guarantees. You know, the the Celtics were in a landslide. We’re supposed to have Duncan should have been in the conversation very much so to get I know revision is history but Greg Odin or Kevin Durant with that number one pick right like it wasn’t supposed to be you know like Chanty Bilips who’s distracted at the moment like he he wasn’t supposed to be here you know Keith Van Horn was supposed to be your worst case scenario way back then so you just you don’t know T what’s the best case scenario for this team I’m talking all this tanking nonsense I mean you want Tatum to come back where would this team be If they are contenders, best case, what’s the best case scenario for the Celtics this season? Probably right around 44 45 wins. I think that’s what you’re looking at. And I think they’ve shown flashes. The the rebounding and the the lack of shooting has overshadowed the good things that they’ve done. Like for the first two games, they outscored their opponents in five of the eight quarters. Like a 42 point fourth quarter against the 76ers. Sounds like more days in first place talk. Yeah, a little bit. A little bit. But no, I think that’s more reflective of the process of like, okay, maybe, you know, what we’re doing does work when we put it together for a full 48 minutes. You can’t have 42 point quarters, not with this team. And you can’t give away second chance opportunities. Like, they’re going to, but they can’t do it as much as they are. Best case scenario, playoff team, you get Tatum back. Do you believe in them in the East with a bad East that they can make a playoff run? No, I don’t think so. So, so the win is them getting in. I’m not closing that door. Depends on the health of other teams at that point in time. M you are closing that door. I wouldn’t put because I think if you’re coming back, right, I don’t like I said earlier, I don’t think you’re putting it all on Tatum, right? And I just think with the the deficiencies that this roster has, it’s going to be tough to compete against any of the Eastern Conference, especially if you’re looking at, you know, a seven or six or seven seed at best. Yeah. You know, you’re going to Cleveland, that’s a massive lineup. The Knicks, another big lineup. Like just the deficiencies of this roster is going to be really hard to make up against those top contenders. All right, big. They got a G- League front court. 6177900928. Call us if you want to talk Celtics to tank or not to tank. It’s a fair question. JT, you know we appreciate

The Boston Celtics have opened the season 0-3 for the first time in over a decade. Is Head Coach Joe Mazzulla cut out for this rebuilding Celtics team? And will Jaylen Brown be a true number 1 on a tanking Celtics team? WEEI Celtics Beat Writer Justin Turpin joined Travis Thomas and Adam Kaufman to discuss the latest with the Celtics.

GET NESN 360: https://nesn.com/download-the-nesn-app/

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/NESN
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NESN
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NESN/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nesn
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nesn
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/nesn/

#BostonCeltics #Celtics